Escalation
by Tyche's Revenge
Summary: One girl finds a path to both strength and power. All the world will shift in response.


_Tch, she's just a weakling._

Sakura's heart had shattered when she overheard Sasuke say that to Naruto about her. Naruto of all people!

_Weak._

Sakura's mind whirled around that word. She couldn't believe that that was how Sasuke saw her!

_Weak._

Sure, she hadn't been able to do much against Kakashi in the bell test but…

_Just weak._

And maybe she couldn't ever keep up with them during training or the free-for-all spars but…

_Just a weakling._

But… she had been the top kunoichi in her class for a reason, right?

_Tch, she's just a weakling._

Suddenly her spiraling depression twisted into red-hot fury. What right did he have to dismiss her? She had worked as hard as anybody!

'_So let's show him.'_

Yeah! She would show him why it was a bad idea to take her lightly!

'_Show him our strength!'_

But how? Righteous fury gave way to confusion as she pondered the question.

She hated to admit it, but she was the slowest and weakest on Team Seven. Even with jutsu, nothing she had could beat Sasuke's fireballs or Naruto's clones.

What she really needed was a way o take them out before they could get going. Actually… maybe there was a way.

That night Sakura searched her collection of books and scrolls for everything she could find about physical enhancement techniques.

After all, using chakra to boost your body was nothing new, ninja did it all the time. Tsunade had become legendary with her strength technique, not because it was new, but rather because nobody had done it on that scale before.

Sakura didn't think she could do that, but she didn't need to be legendary, just good enough to beat Naruto and Sasuke.

With the what she learned in the academy about boosting herself with chakra, the theories behind Sushin and other boosting techniques, and the observances of Tsunade's jutsu, she could probably work out a bastardized form of the technique.

Hopefully in time for the next free-for-all in three days.

XXX

Kakashi reclined in a tree overlooking the bridge where his cute (spoiled, viscious, bratty, and possibly insane) genin waited for him to show up.

He usually really was at the Memorial Stone, but he felt it was best to watch his kids on the sparring days. Otherwise they might decide to get a leg up through "alternative" means. They were ninja after all.

Ah well, it just meant he had an extra hour of book reading time while he watched his genin.

Sasuke strolled under the tree to the bridge, entirely missing his teacher in the branches above him as plans to deal with Naruto's clones whirled trough his head. Maybe a fireball followed by a windmill shuriken? He leaned on the bridge as he planned and waited.

Next Naruto came bounding in, also missing his teacher in the branches above him. He however clearly wasn't planning anything, instead launching into a rant at Sasuke that completely derailed Sasuke's train of thought.

Kakashi was never entirely sure if that was intentional on Naruto's part or just a lucky side effect. He just shook his head as he read his book. Kushina had been the same way, always destroying her opponents plans by just being that _damn _loud and annoying.

Usually Naruto didn't rant all that long, but it seemed that Sakura was late. She usually got there right after Sasuke (making him wonder if she was stalking the poor guy) and would smack Naruto to get him to shut up.

Kakashi was just getting ready to go look for her when she showed up. His eyebrows shot up as he looked at the changes in his student.

Instead of her ordinary dress she was wearing a kimono in eye-searing pink. Her last dress had been cut so it fell to her front and back, but the kimono was cut so that all of the fabric fell to her back and left. She was also carrying an open umbrella-also pink-for some reason.

Altogether, it was enough to make him check to see if someone had slipped a genjutsu on him.

Apparently not, which made him wonder what exactly had changed. Sure, she had seemed stressed the past few days, but he hadn't thought much of it.

Still watching the boys' reactions was gratifying in and of itself as Naruto's jaw dropped and even Sasuke raised an eye-brow.

"Hey Sakura! Why are you dressed up so funny today?"

Kakashi watched as Sakura glanced at Naruto. However, she only quirked her mouth instead of yelling at him like he had expected.

He was going to have to start today's match early, if only to satisfy his own curiosity about the changes Sakura seemed to have undergone.

XXX

"Mah, there's no reason to be rude to your teammate, Naruto," Kakashi scolded as he sushined in next to Naruto.

Sasuke tuned out Naruto's sputtered denials as he glared at his teacher. He couldn't prove it, but he would swear that the man watched them whenever they had sparring days.

It really pissed Sasuke off that Kakashi was still late anyway.

"Hmm, is everybody all warmed up for our spar today?" Kakashi blithely interrupted Naruto as he looked at the rest of Team Seven.

Sasuke and Sakura nodded their assent while Naruto pouted at being ignored.

"Let's get started then!" Kakashi ordered. "Positions everyone!"

Sasuke grunted as he headed toward his normal starting point. They always started in a rough triangle in the clearing where they had had the bell test. It was probably so that it would be even for all of them, but Naruto was the only one to really challenge him.

Usually it was whoever was left from their fight that took care of Sakura.

Sasuke's perpetual scowl deepened as he realized he had been completely unable to come up with a plan for today. He had been blaming both of the idiots for distracting him every morning, but it seemed like he had been unfair to Sakura.

Naruto really was that annoying all by himself.

Sasuke shrugged mentally. His original plan might work, and it would definitely get him some breathing room.

"Ready?" Kakashi called from his observation point.

"Yeah!" Naruto yelled while Sasuke just grunted and Sakura nodded, her ridiculous umbrella closed on her shoulder.

"GO!" Kakashi yelled.

Sasuke started on the Tiger seal, seeing Naruto put his hands together in the cross for Kage Bunshin, but suddenly there was a pink blur _right there_ and Naruto went flying from Sakura's umbrella as she blurred again seeming to _just appear in front of him with the blade that had been hidden in the handle of her umbrella whipping toward his unprotected neck and __**OH SHI-**_

CLANG!

The world seemed to still as Sakura's sword stopped against the armored portion of Kakashi's glove, a bare inch from laying his throat open.

"You do remember that you are supposed to hold back in a spar, right Sakura?" Kakashi inquired calmly.

Sakura smiled just a touch, "Oh, don't worry Kakashi-sensei." Her smile widened as she locked eyes with Sasuke, "I'm sure that Sasuke can handle a weakling like me!"

"Hm, still, I think that training will have to be postponed for today so I can take Naruto to get checked," Kakashi's voice lowered an octave, "Go home and work on holding back, alright?"

Sakura deflated a bit at the veiled censure, "Yes, sensei." Even that though wasn't enough to keep her from one last comment. "I'll see you later Sasuke-_kun_." With that she sheathed her sword, snapped open her traditional bamboo umbrella, and walked away without even a glance back.

Kakashi shook his head in bemusement as he walked over to his still unconscious student. He carefully checked him over to make certain he wouldn't be unduly disturbing injuries before slinging him over his shoulder.

Just before he Shushined away though he gave the shell-shocked Sasuke one last piece of advice, "Sasuke, you should try to be nicer to people. In our world, you never know who is going to be on top tomorrow." With that he disappeared.

Sasuke finally shook himself out of the (terror) surprise that had held him in place. It had only been a fluke that Sakura had beaten him. As soon as he figured out her trick, she wouldn't stand a chance.

_Right?_

The seed of doubt bothered Sasuke all the way back home.


End file.
